Kirk Not Among Those Boycotting Obama’s Speech On Jobs

WASHINGTON (CBS) — U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) will not be counted among those boycotting President Barack Obama’s speech to Congress on jobs Thursday.

As WBBM Newsradio Political Editor Craig Dellimore reports, Kirk will not comment on fellow Republicans, such as northwest suburban Tea Party firebrand Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), who refuse to attend Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress.

But Kirk stresses that he himself will be in the audience. He says the office of the president must be respected.

“I believe that my duty station is in the Congress that night. I’m going to be taking very detailed notes. I’m basically going to use my list of 23 economic policies, which do not include a second stimulus, as a checklist for what I think has become the core of a bipartisan, pro-economic development bill,” Kirk said.

Walsh has gone on record saying Obama is “abusing his position” by calling a joint session of Congress, which is usually reserved for heads of state from foreign countries and presidents in moments of crisis. In an interview with MSNBC last week, he said Obama “has made a career out of simply giving speeches,” CBS News reported.